Rotary engine.



J. MATTHEWS & G. VEITOH.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 1c, 1008.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

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JOl-INATHAN MATTHEWS AND GEORGE VEITCH, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Application filed June 16, 1908. Serial No. 438,761.

.1 such will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines and particularly to rotary engines having a device to cut the steam oil at a portion of the revolution.

The objects of our improvements are, first, to provide a rotary engine with steam chests provided in opposite sides of the casing, the said steam chests being alike and adapted to be used as inlet or exhaust sides as desired, ports being formed from the steam chest to the cylinder, the ports on one side admitting steam to the cylinder to operate the rotating head, the ports on the opposite side forming outlets to the exhaust steam, second, to pro vide a rotary head mounted on a shaft journaled in a casing, a stem adapted to slide in an aperture formed in the head and shaft, the said stem having blades mounted on coiled springs, the springs pressing the blades in contact against the cylinder at all parts of the revolution; third, to afford facilities to cut the steam off at any desired portion of the revolution, thereby getting the benefit of the steam expansion, from the point at which steam is cut off to the passage f the blades over the exhaust port; fourth, the novel method of the admission of the steam and the escape thereof, by the construction of the steam chest on opposite sides of the cylinder, the steam chests being provided with double ports on each side, thereby obtaining a free admission and discharge to the operating steam.

We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a top or plan view of the entire engine; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same through the center; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the engine through the center; Fig. t is an enlarged side view of the drop crank to connect the valve stem with the cam; Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of the cam or eccentric to operate the rock valve from the main shaft.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The casing or cylinder A with its base it A. glue, to which all other parts are connected or mounted thereon. The cylinder heads l3 4), are attached to the cylinder in the usual manner, the :id heads having stuffing boxes and glands ll B formed thereon. Steam chests C C, are formed on opposite sides of the said cylinder or casing, the steam ports I) D and D D, are provided between the steam chests and cylinder, the said ports provide means for the admission of steam to the cylinder on one side of the blades, the steam escaping from the cylinder through the opposite steam chest. The main ordriving shaft D rotates in bearings formed in the cylinder heads B B and the glands B B formed thereon. The rotating head E is mounted on the shaft D" and secured thereto by any desired means, the said head being formed of a smaller diameter than the cylinder, the bearings of the main shaft are set below the cylinder center, to allow the head E to make a close contact with the bottom of the cylinder. A circular aperture is formed in the head E, the aperture extending through the shaft D and terminating in slots or grooves formed in the outer diameter of the head E, the slots extending acro=s the head the full width thereof.

The rod or stem F of circular formation, carrying coiled springs G G, and blades H H as shown, form an important part of the revolving head E. The stem F adapted to slide in an aperture extending through i the rotating head E, has shoulders formed thereon near the outer ends of the same, the shoulders being adapted to carry coiled springs G G thereon, the ends of the stem carrying blades H H resting in contact with the springs G G. The blades H H, are connected with the heads of the stem F, by circular recesses formed in the centers thereof, the ends of the stem entering said recesses with a loose fit, the said blades entering the slots formed in the head E in the same manner, the blades being adapted to move freely with the pressure of the springs G G. In operation as the head E revolves, the stem F slides in the head to conform to the eccentric constitute the main body of the enmotion of the blades H H, the springs G G keeping the said blades in close contact under pressure, with the inside of the cylinder at all parts of the revolution of the head E. 7

On the extension formed by the steam chest C on one side of the casing, a valve chamher I is mounted and secured thereto, the valve chamber being of a cylindrical form, provided with heads J J on both ends, one head being provided with a stufiing box and gland K, the said chamber being provided with an inlet steam pipe L. The valve chamber I is provided with two apertures extending downwards at an angle to connect to a single aperture, the whole forming the steam port M entering the steam chest O, a rock valve N is placed in the valve chamber I, the valve N covers the forked ends of the steam port M. The rotation of the main shaft D", with the aid of the eccentric Q and its connections to the valve N, rocks the said valve back and forth uncovering the forks of the steam port M alternately, the

said movement of the valve allowing steam to enter the chest C to operate the engine.

In operation the steam is admitted twice during one revolution of the head E, the admission of steam being regulated to take place as one of the blades H passes the horizontal center line of the cylinder, steam being again admitted on the second blade passing the same point. The rock valve N having the usual lap and lead, the valve covers the ports completely for a portion of each half revolution, the portion so covered can be regulated as desired, by the lap given to the valve and the setting of the eccentric to cut off at the desired point, the forked head of the steam port M being adapted to make the valve movement described. To start or operate the engine, steam is admitted by the inlet pipe L to the valve chamber I: thence through the steam port M to the steam chest C, the steam ports D D being always open the steam will at once enter the cylinder A, the steam first operating on the blade above the center line of the engine, as the blades rotate the steam is cut off at the desired point, the remainder of the rotation to the opposite center, being made by the.

expansion of the steam remaining in the steam chest O, as the second blade H passes beyond the bottom center line of the cylinder, the steam expansion from the port D would act to retard. its movement, the steam port D admitting steam on the opposite side of the blade, makes the pressure on both sides of the blade balanced.

On the opposite steam chest to the above described, a suitable cover is placed and secured thereto, the cover plate S having an aperture formed therein, to which the exhaust pipe T is attached in any desired manner. The exhaust steam from each half revolution has a free exit through the port D to the steam chest C, escaping therefrom through the exhaust pipe T, the lower port D allowing the exhaust of the steam or condescence carried past the first port by the motion of the blades.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 7 The combination, in a rotary engine, of a cylinder having steam chests C O formed on opposite sides thereof, the head E having a sliding stem inserted therein, the stem. carrying two adjustable blades H H in contact with the inside of the cylinder, two ports D D leading from the steam chests C C to the cylinder, a valve chamber mounted on one of thesteam chests, a rock valve seated on a forked steam port in the chamber, and means to operate the valve substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHNATHAN MATTHEWS. GEORGE VEITOH.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. MORRIS, R. J. OSBORNE. 

